Afghan government strongly condemned cross-border airstrikes by the Pakistani military that killed at least 10 civilians, including nine children and one woman, in eastern Afghanistan on Monday.

The deadliest strike hit a civilian home in the Mughalgai area of Garbuz district, Khost province, completely destroying the residence and claiming the lives of the 10 victims, according to Afghan officials.

Mawlavi Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, described the attacks as a blatant violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and expressed profound grief over the loss of innocent lives.

“These cowardly attacks targeted defenceless civilians, including children and women, in their homes,” Mujahid said in a statement. “The Islamic Emirate condemns this aggression in the strongest terms and calls on the international community to hold the perpetrators accountable.”

In addition to the fatalities in Khost, Pakistani airstrikes also wounded four civilians in separate incidents in Kunar and Paktika provinces, Afghan authorities reported.

The strikes mark a sharp escalation in tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, with both sides accusing each other of sheltering militant groups operating across the porous border. Pakistan has not yet issued an official comment on the latest incidents.

The United Nations and human rights organisations have repeatedly urged both nations to exercise restraint and protect civilians amid recurring cross-border clashes. (ILKHA)